Synopsis
Learn French in coffee-break lessons from the Radio Lingua Network. In each lesson we'll focus on the language you need to know and before long you'll be making yourself understood with native French speakers. Season 1 lessons are for absolute beginners, and the courses increase in difficulty as the seasons progress.
Episodes
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CBF 3:11 | Focus on perfect and imperfect tenses
20/01/2011 Duration: 19minToday we have another episode from Alf’s diary as he learns French in Nice. In this episode Alf talks about his family and about his daily routine. He also admits to being a bit embarrassed about his daily routine when he hears what the other learners have to do. His life is a bit more relaxing, to say the least! Please note that lesson 11 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 311 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review materials to help you practise your Fr
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CBF 3:10 | Grammar review and idiomatic expressions
31/12/2010 Duration: 19min… the episode in which we introduce the subjunctive! We’re returning to Katie’s texts this week and we’ll be hearing more about her search for a job. Please note that lesson 10 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 310 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review materials to help you practise your French. Remember - a few minutes a day can help you build your confidence in the language. Access the Coffee Break French Facebook page here.If you’d like to find out
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CBF 3:09 | Focus on the future tense
23/12/2010 Duration: 18minThis week we’re returning to Veronica’s texts and we’ll be finding out a bit more about why Veronica decided to learn French. Veronica also tells us a bit more about her daughter Jessica. Please note that lesson 09 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 309 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review materials to help you practise your French. Remember - a few minutes a day can help you build your confidence in the language. Access the Coffee Break French Faceboo
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CBF 3:08 | Future tense with regular and irregular verbs
09/12/2010 Duration: 16minIn this week’s lesson we’re continuing with Katie’s second text. We’ll be taking a closer look at direct object pronouns and some further examples of the future tense as Katie talks about her plans for the coming weekend. Please note that lesson 08 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 308 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review materials to help you practise your French. Remember - a few minutes a day can help you build your confidence in the language. Acce
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CBF 3:07 | Focus on past tenses and idiomatic expressions
04/12/2010 Duration: 15minThis episode is the first of two episodes which are based on Katie’s second text. In this first part we’ll be hearing about an unfortunate event which Katie experienced while she was shopping in Nice. Language points covered include the expression se rendre compte in the perfect tense, whether descendre is an être or avoir verb, and many other points. Please note that lesson 07 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 307 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review
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CBF 3:06 | The future tense
23/11/2010 Duration: 16minIn this episode our course, we’re taking a break from our weekly texts from Alf, Katie and Veronica. Last week Alf mentioned that his teacher had been teaching the students about the future tense. We thought it would be useful to go through all aspects of the future tense in this lesson. Please note that lesson 06 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 306 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review materials to help you practise your French. Remember - a few min
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CBF 3:05 | Introduction to the future tense
16/11/2010 Duration: 14minThis week's Coffee Break French episode features Alf once again. We’ll be finding out about his plans for the coming weekend, and this gives us an opportunity to review the future tense of both regular and irregular verbs. In the free version of the podcast we’ll be looking at some of the language points covered in Alf’s text. Please note that lesson 05 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 305 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review materials to help you pr
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CBF 3:04 | Preceding direct objects and idioms
10/11/2010 Duration: 13minIn the fourth episode of Coffee Break French Season 3 we meet Australian entrepreneur Veronica who, like Katie and Alf, is studying French in Nice. In the free version of the podcast we’ll be looking at some of the language points covered in Veronica’s text. Please note that lesson 04 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 304 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review materials to help you practise your French. Remember - a few minutes a day can help you build
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CBF 3:03 | Idiomatic expressions and grammar review
02/11/2010 Duration: 18minIt’s time for our third episode of Coffee Break French Season 3 and this week we’re getting to know Alf a bit more. In the free version of the podcast we’ll be concentrating on adjective agreements and looking at some of the words and expressions used in Alf’s text. Please note that lesson 03 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 303 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review materials to help you practise your French. Remember - a few minutes a day can help yo
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CBF 3:02 | Focus on adjectives and idiomatic expressions
26/10/2010 Duration: 16minOur second episode of Coffee Break French Season 3 provides further details on Katie who has been writing her diary about her experience studying French in Nice. In this episode we’ll be looking at more language points which come up in Katie’s diary including direct and indirect object pronouns. Please note that lesson 02 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 302 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review materials to help you practise your French. Remember - a
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CBF 3:01 | Introduction to the characters for this season and idiomatic expressions
18/10/2010 Duration: 15minWelcome to the first lesson of Coffee Break French Season 3! In this episode listeners will meet American student Katie, Australian entrepreneur Veronica, and Alf who is a retired teacher from England. Our three characters are studying French at a language school in Nice, and in each episode you’ll hear an extract from their diaries, recounting their adventures on the French Riviera. We’ll pick up on a couple of language points in each lesson to help listeners understand the content. Please note that lesson 01 of Season 3 was originally known as lesson 301 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Co
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Coffee Break French – Season 3
12/10/2010 Duration: 03minOui, c’est vrai! Nous sommes de retour! Coffee Break French is returning for a third season starting next Monday, 18th October. Season 3 will consist of 40 lessons and will give you the opportunity to develop your knowledge of the French language further, increasing your range of expression and building your confidence in a variety of grammatical constructions.In this season we’ll be featuring three new characters who all happen to be learning French in a language school in Nice on the Côte d’Azur. There’s Katie, the American student who is currently spending a year travelling, working and learning in different European countries; Veronica is a forty-something Australian entrepreneur who is taking advantage of an extended business trip to the south of France to improve her language skills; and Alf, a retired teacher from the Home Counties. As part of their weekly homework, our three characters have to keep a diary of their time spent in France, so over the next forty lessons you’ll be following their adv
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CBF 2:40 | Grammar review "a very pleasant evening"
11/05/2010 Duration: 19minWe’ve arrived at the final episode in our series of Coffee Break French. In lesson 40, we reach the end of the meal in which our friends Christina, David, Sophie and Jean-Jaques have been getting to know each other. As usual, we cover a range of topics and constructions in this conversation and everything is explained in the lesson. Please note that lesson 40 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 80 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This lesson marks the end of the Coffee Break French course and we’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of our faithful listeners who have been working through the lessons week by week. We very much hope that you’ve enjoyed using Coffee Break French. This, of course, is not the end of the French materials from Radio Lingua. Coffee Break French Season 3 is waiting for you! Don't forget about our Walk, Talk and Learn French video series in which Pierre-Benoît, whom list
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CBF 2:39 | Grammar review "we're not going to argue again"
05/05/2010 Duration: 20minAfter an enjoyable meal our two couples are about to enjoy a coffee and un petit digeo. The conversation continues between David, Christina, Sophie and Jean-Jacques in this penultimate episode of the series. Expressions covered include ça te dirait de faire quelque chose, aussitôt que, and further examples of the future and conditional tenses. Please note that lesson 39 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 79 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review material
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CBF 2:38 | The pluperfect tense "I had never tasted it"
25/04/2010 Duration: 25minIn the 38th episode of the course, we continue our radio play featuring David and Christina, who are having dinner with their new friends Sophie and Jean-Jacques. This lesson introduces the pluperfect tense and also looks at a few examples of avoir expressions, including avoir l’habitude, avoir besoin de quelque chose and avoir de la chance. Please note that lesson 38 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 78 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review materials
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CBF 2:37 | The future tense "they're up to something"
25/03/2010 Duration: 24minIn this lesson our radio play continues and Sophie, Jean-Jacques, David and Christina are talking about what they will be doing in the coming days. We’ll therefore be taking a look at the future tense. Please note that lesson 37 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 77 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review materials to help you practise your French. Remember - a few minutes a day can help you build your confidence in the language. Access the Coffee Break F
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CBF 2:36 | The conditional "shall we use the tu form?"
10/03/2010 Duration: 25minIn this lesson of Coffee Break French, our radio play continues. Sometimes it’s difficult to know when to use tu and when to use vous when speaking to people in French. In this lesson, Jean-Jacques suggests that he and David should tutoyer each other – ie. use the tu form. This lesson includes some useful tips on dealing with tu and vous. We also take a close look at the conditional tense. Please note that lesson 36 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 76 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post lang
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CBF 2:35 | Grammar review "we trust you!"
19/02/2010 Duration: 28minOur radio play continues in this week's lesson as David and Christina get to know Jean-Jacques and Sophie a bit more. They talk about their children and pets, and about the food they’re going to order. The conversation includes some examples of the conditional tense, the comparative, and the use of the word en. Please note that lesson 35 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 75 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review materials to help you practise your Frenc
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CBF 2:34 | Grammar review "we're going to make some progress"
04/02/2010 Duration: 26minIn this week's episode of Coffee Break French David and Christina decide to join Jean-Jacques and Sophie for dinner in the latest instalment of our ‘radio play’. Topics covered include a review of beaucoup de and a very brief introduction to the subjunctive mood. Please note that lesson 34 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 74 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review materials to help you practise your French. Remember - a few minutes a day can help you bu
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CBF 2:33 | Grammar review "do you fancy eating with us?"
27/01/2010 Duration: 24minIn this episode of Coffee Break French our conversation between David, Christina and Jean-Jacques continues, and they are joined by Jean-Jacques’ wife, Sophie. Topics covered include the use of ça vous dirait de + infinitive to suggest an activity. We also take a look at negatives in the form of ne … pas and ne … jamais. Please note that lesson 33 of Season 2 was originally known as lesson 73 of Coffee Break French. We have renumbered the lessons of each season as lessons 1-40 to make things more simple for our listeners.This season of Coffee Break French features a total of 40 lessons, all of which will be included in the podcast feed. Just stay subscribed to the podcast to enjoy each episode. If you’d like to benefit from video versions, lesson notes and bonus audio materials, you can access the premium version of Coffee Break French in the Coffee Break Academy.Don’t forget to follow Coffee Break French on Facebook where we post language activities, cultural points and review materials to help you practise